Improvement in car-couplings



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` Gar-Couplings y Patented Nov. 17,1874.

UNITED STATES rmWILLIAM O. T. DAVIDSON,

PATENT EEIoE.

OF HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,917, dated November17, 1874; application tiled October 24,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. T. DAVID- SON, of the city of Hannibal,county of Marion and State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Railroad-Oar Couplers, and that I do herebydeclare the following to be a full and accurate description of the same,reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, forming a partthereof.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplers which is automatic orself-acting, as I shall hereinafter describe.

The Vdrawings represent the car-coupler when united and coupled, as wellas sectional views, showing the several parts of the same.

A reference to the drawings, and to the following description andspecification, will enable the skilled mechanic to construct and operatethis coupler.

A is a metallic draw-head, properly chambered to receive andconveniently hold all the necessary pieces to enable the couplers tocouple automatically. These pieces, however, may be made of any desiredform or shape, as well as the chamber of the draw-head; and I do notlimit my principle and invention to the particular forms or proportionsas shown in the drawings. b represents an opening vertically through theupper plate of the drawhead A, near itsu forward end. c is a slot in thelower plate of draw-head A, commencing` at the opening b and runningback toward the rear of the draw-head, to allow the free working of thetrigger L. f f are notches to hold the journals of the holding-bar B andallow its free working. D is a metallic pin, having projecting iianges gg and a notch or shoulder, n, near the point. This pin passes throughthe holes b and b in the top and bottom plates of the coupling-head forthe purpose of securely holding the couplinglink when the cars arecoupled up. B is a metallic holdin g-bar with journals at its rear end,and a slot at its forward extremity, .which enables the points h h topass freely on each side of the coupling-pin D, and to be caught on theprojectingianges g g when the said pin is raised to allow the uncouplingof the cars. The said slot is also of sufiicient length to enable thetrigger L to work freely. H is a metallic movable dead-weight, securedto the holding-bar B by a connecting-rod passing through the slot c,said deadweight causing the points h h ot' the holding-bar B to pressupon the end of the coupling-link, (when it is in its proper position,)in order to hold it in a horizontal position, ready to couple the carswhen desired. L is a metallic trigger, having journals X X on its sidesnear its midlength, which rest and properly work in notches on sides ofslot o. The outer or lower end of the trigger L, heilig much theheavier, brings the trigger into a vertical position when unobstructed,so that the point o will rest under the retreating shoulder a, and holdthe pin D in position to allow the cars always to be coupled.

To make a coupling of the cars, insert one end of the coupling-link intothe open end of the draw-head A, pressing against the selfacting triggerL until the joint f leaves the retreating shoulder n of the pin D tofall into its proper position, and the joints h h of the holding-bar Bto press upon the inner end of the entered link to hold the said linkhorizontally,- so that it will readily enter the correspondingdraw-head, striking its trigger and allowing its pin to drop intoposition, which operation effects the coupling automatically without thenecessity of any person passing between the cars.

To uncouple the cars. raise the pin, by means of any suitable leversextending to the sides of the cars, until the trigger L assumes avertical position and the point o rests under the shoulder n. The carscan now be pushed apart and automatically uncoupledwithout the necessityof any persons passing between the cars at the imminent risk of life andlimb.

The whole of the above-described mechanical devices forms a cheap, safe,and desirable automatic coupler, and one that can be used anduniversally adapted to the couplingof any class of cars using acoupling-link connection.

When it is desired that the cars should stand together without beingcoupled, the levers extending to the sides of the cars are made so thattheir ends upon the side of the our will, :it a certain point, when soplaced, 2. The holding-bar B, the trigger L, and form a balance, whichholds the pin up and dead-Weight H, all combined for the purposesprevents its dropping till relieved, even though described. the triggeris thrown back.

Whitt I claim, and desire to secure by Let- WM. C. T. DAVIDSON. [L. s]ters Patent, is 2 l. The holdin gbar B, the trigger L, and theWitnesses: dead-Weight H, in combination with the pin WM. V. Moss, D anddraw-head A, as described. W. I. GARSTARPHEN.

